Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2009
Abstract
In the present study, the production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) for use as biodiesel from the alkaline transesterification of refined palm oil (RPO) was found to occur optimally using a molar RPO (triglyceride) to methanol ratio of 1:6, in the presence of 1% NaOH (catalyst) in methanol (w/v), at 60ºC, in 30 min and with vigorous mixing. Comparing performance of the reaction that was carried out in the single- and two-stage processes showed that the single-stage process was more superior to the latter as it was faster, easier, required less handling procedure and produced higher yield of FAME. Under the optimally derived conditions, the single-stage process proved capable of more than 95% yield of FAME. When analyzed, the RPO FAME produced met the standards for use as biodiesel in five basic properties tested.
Keywords
Refined Palm Oil, Biodiesel, Fatty Acid Methyl Esters Production
Divisions
InstituteofBiologicalSciences
Publication Title
Malaysian Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Volume
17
Issue
1
Publisher
Faculty of Medicine, UM